Wow I don't know my home city at all. I grew up and lived there for 20 years. I learned about the castle (Casa Loma) like 3 years ago.

What's the second Chinatown? Markham/Richmond Hill?

But I gotta agree with /u/Recoil42 on some omissions - I'd've skipped the celebs and gone for other attractions like Eaton Centre, St. Lawrence Market (mention it with Kensington!), Yorkville, Centre Island.

Since it's your album, you can obviously amend/modify/remove pics still.

And lack of poutine. Though it's arguable where the best poutine is. And brunch spots. Love the huge number of brunch locations downtown. I went to FRANK at AGO - it was amazing. Comparable to the top brunches offered in Chicago or New York.

Markham Richmond Hill is only good for people with cars and family/friends there. YRT is expensive, unreliable and doesnt get you anywhere fast. Yes there is a large chinese population but as far as everything in one centralized shopping location goes, there arnt too many.

Haha, yeah its been pretty cold recently. Whilst there's still fun to be had in winter, I must say Toronto is a completely different city in the summer. Basically around when the Jays start to play the city seems to wake up from its hibernation and the energy going into May / June when it really starts warming up is pretty excellent. ESPECIALLY when the Leafs are in the playoffs. Man I'm getting excited. Island visits, Bellwoods for a couple tins after work, patios, Jays games...... then you get out the city to the cottages for a few weekends. Cannae fuckin wait!

I'm assuming you must be a habs fan or even sens considering their performance the other night.

As a visitor to Canada from the other side of the world and from a country where sport is very much apart of our culture I would easily recommend the Toronto maple leafs as the team to see. I have never felt more involved and excited in a franchise, and the atmosphere is amazing.

So, I hate to be that guy, but this is a pretty terrible introduction.

Fine, you tried, but:

Misperceptions:

Suggesting the 152 as the only/default option from Pearson — a route that will take you two connections just to get downtown — is just not right. (Sure, it's cheap, and I recommend this route for backpackers and anyone who doesn't want to spend a lot of dough, but there are other options that anyone else should definitely prefer -- like the Airport Express, a $25 bus that will take you directly downtown. And no mention of the Union-Pearson Express, which will begin service in 2015?)

Mentioning Ontario Place — a venue that has been closed for two years?

Referring to Kensington as "Hipster Homeland", when it's anything but, and hasn't been that way for the last decade or so. If anything, the neighbourhood is more accurately characterized as a bazaar, predominantly fruit stands, cafes, and mexican restaurants, with several moody bars scattered in between opening up at night to become a great place to kick back. Travellers, come here and have a Dark & Stormy with locally crafted Ginger Beer at Handlebar, or go for some incredible Mexican food at Seven Lives Tacos, or El Trompo

While we're on accommodations, no mention of Toronto's more unique or less-known lodgings? The Gladstone Hotel? Templar? Le Germain? Beverly Hotel?

Toronto wasn't even close to beating Beijing for the 2008 Olympics. Beijing had over double the votes. It's embarrassing that you'd even mention this in this way, as if it's something to brag about. And it isn't even true.

There's absolutely zero 'knockoff' shopping in Koreatown. None. Tons in Chinatown, but I'm fairly sure there's not even a single souvenir store in Koreatown. Honestly, have you even been there? (Great food, though. Travellers — go have an awesome bowl of Soon Tofu at Buk Chang Dong Soon Tofu, or late-night Gamjatang at Owl of Minerva — a Toronto institution.)

Omissions:

No mention of West Queen West. Whether you like it or not, it's an absolutely silly omission.

No mention of Centre Island. (!) (This is akin to not mentioning Central Park in a thread about NYC.)

No mention of Yorkville. (This is like talking about Tokyo and not giving a single mention to Ginza or Harajuku.)

No mention of Leslieville, and no mention of The Beaches. Seriously? (Travellers — go to Leslieville on a lazy Sunday or Saturday morning. Go have brunch at Lady Marmalade, Table 17, or Bonjour Brioche. Walk east, and don't stop 'til you get to around Gadabout Vintage, one of the coolest little antique stores you'll ever find. Then head over to Kew Gardens, and a walk along the lake. )

No mention whatsoever of The Eaton Centre, easily one of the most important tourist sites in Toronto, and certainly the most important shopping destination.

No mention of the great restaurant culture springing up on Ossington with a hugely impressive cachet of interesting locations, like Bellwoods Brewery. (And Black Hoof just down the street!) (Beer lovers, try Bellwoods' Witchshark IPA. It's currently holding a overall rating of 99 on Ratebeer. Frankly, it might just deserve it. A phenomenal beer.)

Yet Gerrard St. E gets a double mention? (As well as a totally bizarre 'Slumdog Millionaire' mention for TIFF — what's with the Indian focus?) (Travellers — there's nothing wrong with Gerrard St. E, and Lahore Tikka House is absolutely a solid recommend. It's a bit of a hike for Indian food though, with very little else in the area.)

Absolutely no mention of things that are culturally important to real Torontonians (that tourists should try to experience) -- patio beers, brunching, midnight poutine, the vibrant food culture as a whole that is now giving NYC and Chicago a run for their money.

No mention of any of Toronto's famous music venues, for music lovers -- The Horseshoe, the Garrison, The Drake, The Rex, Dakota Tavern. (Backpackers -- go have a drink at Cameron House on Queen West. Get an order of Kimichi Fries or a Duck Confit Banh Mi at Banh Mi Boyz down the street. Jazz/Blues Lovers, opt for The Rex instead. You will thank me.)

Again, I applaud the effort, but this is I've lived here for 15 years, and OP's reccos are such an incomplete picture of the city, I'd really recommend against anyone using them as a really decent primer.

There's so much more to Toronto than what you can get from ten seconds of reading a brochure, and I promise you this — it's worth the effort.

So, your comment pretty much comes across as someone who lives here, and is pissed when people don't know the 'real Toronto.' I could have thrown in Banh Mi Boys, House on Parliament, Guvernment, The Danforth Music Hall, O Noir, Bar Isabel, Canoe, Guu Izakaya, Actinolite (especially lauded), Le Gourmand, and plenty of other places that are well known and also liked by real Torontonians (Guvernment is a bit of a stretch, but you know, it's still there.)

I made a few omissions, yes, but I will defend my choices that you attack like a petulant child.

I chose the 192 (not 152) as a bus because it requires ONE connection to get downtown and is infinitely cheaper than spending $25 dollars on a shuttle. Bloor Street IS downtown, so one connection. Though I suppose if you're going to Front, then yes, two horrible connections.

My mistake on Ontario Place.

My roommate works beside Pearl Harbor. Just because you're angry that I called it Hipster Homeland doesn't make it untrue. It is chalk full of hipsters, and was also tongue in cheek. Calm down. You're still supporting my decision to include the damn place.

Are we getting down to synonyms now? I'm very sorry I chose the word lavish. For many people on this forum, it's WAY out of budget, or even if within budget, not worth it. It's a famous landmark dude. It's why I included it over the recently finished Shangri-La.

Almost beat was a slight exaggeration. My bad, again. But it was close. The final vote tally yes, was double. That was not the case the whole time.

There is not zero knockoff shopping in KoreaTown. Way less than China Town, not zero.

I mentioned Queen West when I talked about how some places have an abundance of different kinds of food. I could have put more emphasis on it. This was not a perfect introduction, but calling it terrible is just you being childish and sad that your favorite places weren't broadcasted to the world.

Missing Centre Island is NOT the same thing as missing Central Park. You would have said the same thing if I missed High Park.

You're right. I missed the high class shopping district. It was intentional, but probably misguided. But again, wow, angry.

Ditto with Eaton Centre, though it's just a shopping mall. They could have found it.

You're mad about Gerrard getting a double mention, but then are angry Queen West isn't blasted in everyone's face, and write Gerrard off as 'little else in the area.' You ALSO need to do some exploring, and if we used your list as a primer, people would wander to the Beaches and miss Gerrard.

Leslieville could have used a picture. But I'm seeing a trend: a lot of things could have used a picture. Jesus.

I mention Slumdog Millionaire because it's a famous movie, and it's to showcase TIFF. I'm sorry mentioning something Indian more than once makes you anxious. You're right, I should be showcasing more of Toronto's white people stuff to make the white people comfortable.

Yeah, it is incomplete, with a few omissions. But your list isn't really saying I'm wrong, you're mostly just mad I left out your favorite places. The point of an introduction is to introduce a city. I failed twice: by showing Ontario Place and leaving out Queen West. However, the point of this isn't to make a fucking YELP page for the city. You have about 35 suggestions in there. I'm not making a page with 105 pictures just so people can go to a brewery. I have, for the most part, the most important parts of the city. You're mostly upset about a little bit of my picture captions.

Again, I applaud the effort.

Don't be condescending. You were an asshole about it. This was an introduction. Holy lord you think I suggested for people not to come.

edit: I'll add one more thing. I can see why it would be weird that I suggest Lahore Tikka House and not other things like Bellwood, as it seems like I should either suggest lots or none at all. But Lahore Tikka House is literally my favorite place on this planet. Just like it seems, microbreweries are yours. But your comment still just amounts to polemic complaints.

Your "introduction to Toronto" looks more like a personal digest of what you would do on a trip to the city. However this does not translate to a universally high quality trip. I think it's unfair for you to get so butthurt when people have differing opinions from yours.

I think your issue is that you are taking things too personally.
I don't live in Toronto, but I've spent enough time there to see plenty of outdated and irrelevant thing going through your list, not capturing "real Toronto" (as you call it) whatsoever.

You missed some pretty major tourist destinations and I think that's the important thing to look at. You tried to excuse it by said you weren't trying to make a YELP page for the city, yet you included poorly researched items like Ontario Place, and things that are not easily accessible if you are "in the city" like Canada's Wonderland in VAUGHAN.

Look, I'm sorry I offended you. Don't take my comment as a personal attack — that wasn't the intention.

So, your comment pretty much comes across as someone who lives here, and is pissed when people don't know the 'real Toronto.'

I would love for people to experience the 'real' Toronto.

I'm not pissed about anything, though.

I could have thrown in Banh Mi Boys, House on Parliament, Guvernment, The Danforth Music Hall, O Noir, Bar Isabel, Canoe, Guu Izakaya, Actinolite (especially lauded), Le Gourmand, and plenty of other places that are well known and also liked by real Torontonians (Guvernment is a bit of a stretch, but you know, it's still there.)

Then why didn't you?

(Side note, O Noir and Le Gourmand are more puzzling additions to that list. One's an overrated tourist trap, and one isn't particular noteworthy in any way other than their cookies. I go to Le Gourmand for lunch, often, as it's just across the street from where I work. But why would you send a tourist there, especially in that neighborhood?)

My roommate works beside Pearl Harbor. Just because you're angry that I called it Hipster Homeland doesn't make it untrue.

You're right — the fact that it isn't 'hipster homeland' makes it untrue. There are certainly several scattered brooklyn-esque hangouts in Kensington — Cold Tea, Handlebar, and Ronnie's come to mind. But the neighbourhood is predominantly populated by Mexican restaurants and Asian fruit stands, and anyone who went there with your description would be completely confused. It's misleading.

Great job on the suggestions, I think you're pretty much spot on everywhere. The next time my Hamilton friends bitch and moan about my living in Toronto, I might send them your comment. Then maybe they'll see my reply and feel bad.

Two quick notes:

Bellwoods. Is. Delicious.

For things to do, I'd also like to suggest renting a bike and taking a weekend ride down Tommy Thompson Park, a manmade peninsula full of interesting birds and curiosities.

As someone who wasn't particularly interested in Toronto in the first place, some of these seem a little weird. Mentioning lost Olympic bids and celebrities (some I've never heard of) makes it seem like you're trying too hard to make Toronto relevant. I'm even less interested as a result. :/ Those things might have been better off in the comments section, just my opinion.

It's not like you will actually meet any of those celebrities as an average tourist, nor does the lack of an Olympics being hosted there change a single recommendation.

I figured it was silly to do a 'Welcome to Canada.' No one comes to Canada to see the whole place at once. I forgot to add Niagara Falls, and I don't think I can add pictures now that this is published.

Wow... I am shocked no one has mentioned this yet: the subway picture you included is wrong. It is implied that you can connect between Museum and Bay and as far as I know I believe you can't. Regardless, this is not even the colouring system that the subway system uses.

Anyways, it is interesting to see someone do one of these So You Want To... things for Toronto. But I definitely think the subway map should be corrected.

Another comment: You mention in Kensington to "check out the street food." I think there may be only one vendor there that is a permanent street food place, and the only time you could ever characterize Kensington market as a place to check out street food would be Pedestrian Sundays. There used to be a frozen yogurt vendor on the street but that shut down. Maybe you were referring to the Market 707 nearby? That actually is worth mentioning but it is not in Kensington, it's just nearby.